Value-Driven Needfinding for Early Product - Service System Development. A Study Collaborates with Volvo Construction Equipments in Chinese Market

Abstrakt Abstract:

Many literatures have shown that needs last longer than any specific solutions, so understanding of customer needs seems a crucial factor in early Product-Service System (PSS) development. Nowadays, many western companies, especially manufacturing focused companies, have realized the difficulty of understanding market needs. In this thesis, a new Value-Driven Needfinding methodology for manufacturing company to apply in certain markets was investigated. To further demonstrate the implementation of the proposed methodology, a case study involving Volvo Construction Equipment exploring value-orient needs in Chinese market is showed. At the end, by providing the scenarios comparison, a PSS conceptual design will be illustrated to show the utilization of the customer needs, then opportunities for company future provision towards sustainability based on early PSS development will be discussed.

Populärvetenskaplig beskrivning / Popular science summary:

Providing added value to standalone products by adding services is at the core of Product-Service Systems (PSS) offered in manufacturing companies. Providing PSS requires a change not only in the way products are sold, but also in the way they are designed and developed. The way of understanding and capturing customer needs often fall outside the early phase of designing integration solution in traditional manufacturing company. The aim of the thesis is to investigate the needfinding for early phase of PSS design, methods and tools proposed to improve the need collection and analysis process.
This academic work was performed through the close collaboration with Volvo Construction Equipment which is looking for opportunities to provide Product-Service System in the Chinese market. The thesis group firstly reviewed theory of needfinding, and then the importance of value was brought out. The methodology of Value-Driven Needfinding (VDN) was introduced to facilitate the early PSS development. By deriving needs from an adding value standpoint, this methodology is not only focused only on needs intended as “Voice of the customer” but rather as needs expressed as “Value Adding Activities”. Thus, these value-based needs can reveal some functions for potential system solution development. A case study involved with Chinese customers’ needs is described to demonstrate the application of VDN. Two scenarios comparison were presented to evaluate the sustainable influence between provision of current solutions and new PSS solution.
During discussion part, the application of VDN, the Chinese market preferences and the contribution of VDN for early PSS design from sustainable perspectives are discussed. At the end, three conclusions supported the contirbution of VDN applied for manufacturing company to carry out PSS development at early stage are showed.